Matthew Singer writes about movies, music and podcasts for Time Out – a continuation of two decades spent analysing, obsessing over and occasionally making fun of popular culture. Previously, he served as the Arts & Culture Editor at Willamette Week, a Pulitzer Prize-winning alt-weekly newspaper in Portland, Oregon, where he wrote about forgotten schlock-horror movie directors, interviewed Fred Armisen behind a dumpster, won national awards for music and profile writing, and once taste-tested dog beer. He currently lives in Tucson, Arizona, with his wife, son and two cats, and spends way too much of his free time thinking about fantasy basketball.
Matthew Singer

Matthew Singer

Film writer and editor

Articles (211)

The 22 most anticipated movies of the summer

The 22 most anticipated movies of the summer

Like college kids and middle-aged divorcees flocking to the nearest beach or rooftop pool to reveal their revenge bods, summer is the time for Hollywood to show off. The movie industry is going into its most important time of year with some positive momentum, thanks to A Minecraft Movie, Sinners and Thunderbolts* , and the likely successes of Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning and Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch. And there’s reason to believe the money train will continue rolling, with James Gunn’s Superman rebooting the DC universe, Fantastic Four: First Steps looking to keep the Marvel revival moving and Jurassic World Rebirth bringing the dinosaur franchise back from extinction, with Scarlett Johannson, Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey in tow. Of course, nothing in this cinema landscape is guaranteed. Which films will actually hit big and which will have studio execs and industry watchers wringing their hands? We break it all down below with the 22 movies we’re most excited about in summer 2025.RECOMMENDED: đŸŽ„Â The best movies of 2025 (so far)đŸ”„Â The best TV and streaming shows of 2025
Discover the 100 best movies of all time

Discover the 100 best movies of all time

Movies are back. Not that they ever really went anywhere. For a few years, though, particularly during and after the pandemic, it felt like film culture was in the dumps. But with the rise of outlets like Letterboxd, the booming popularity of repertory theatres and the social media omnipresence of the Criterion Closet, it seems like cinema is nudging back toward the centre of culture again, especially among younger generations.  With interest in movie history rising, now’s a perfect time to make use of our list of the 100 greatest movies of all-time. It’s a broad survey of the highlights of film’s first century-plus, covering over 100 years, multiple countries, and just about every genre imaginable, from massive blockbusters to intimate cult films, silly comedies to bloody horror, action-packed thrillers to thrilling action flicks. We’re not so high-minded to consider it the definitive canon – but as a road map, it’s a great place to start.  Jump to list: 100-91 |  90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1 How we chose our 100 best movies of all time Admittedly, the process is not an exact science. Mostly, it involves a bunch of arguing, whittling and deal-making amongst Time Out’s most movie-obsessed writers, and then voila: a top 100 everyone is kinda sorta happy about! In terms of why we chose what we chose, that’s just as messy and multivarious. Mostly, it comes down to timelessness. Is a movie among the rare films that will play as fresh today
The best movies of 2025 (so far) – the new films that are making our year at the cinema

The best movies of 2025 (so far) – the new films that are making our year at the cinema

Halfway through 2025, Hollywood must be breathing a sigh of relief. At this point last year, the studios were scratching their heads at several major unexpected flops, and many analysts were left to wonder if the post-pandemic bounce-back of 2023 was simply an outlier. Now, with films like A Minecraft Movie, Sinners, Final Destination: Bloodlines and Lilo & Stitch outperforming expectations, it might be safe to say that the movies are finally, really, truly
 back? Maybe we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves. But there are reasons for cinephiles to celebrate beyond the industry’s financial health, whether it’s the blockbuster success of the aforementioned Sinners, Ryan Coogler’s ambitious and wholly original horror epic, or several smaller-scale achievements, from the formal invention of Nickel Boys to the animated underdog (undercat?) story of Flow to a pair of home runs from Steven Soderbergh. And there’s plenty more to come. Here are the films that have had us cheering loudest in 2025 so far.  RECOMMENDED: đŸ“ș The best TV and streaming shows of 2025 (so far)đŸ”„ The best horror movies of 2025đŸŽ„Â The 101 greatest films ever made
The best action movies of all time

The best action movies of all time

June 2025 update: In this update, we've added one of the best blockbusters of the last decade, Top Gun: Maverick, the movie that finally brought audiences back to theaters post-pandemic and which firmly outclasses the 1986 original with some of the most thrilling flight sequences ever put on film.  Everyone loves a good action movie. Sure, film school snobs may turn up their noses, but even hardcore cineastes cannot live on indie dramas and experimental art flicks alone. No matter how cultured you are, there’s a part of your lizard brain that loves explosions and shootouts and badass one-liners – and it needs to be satisfied. And the only thing that will scratch the itch is watching something get blowed up real good.  The truth is, action is a deeply misunderstood genre. Action flicks needn’t be dumb or epic or even particularly loud to succeed. Some find beauty in violence. Others might dropkick you right in the heart. Heck, some even have character development. So light that fuse, clip that wire and batten down the hatches – these are the most pulse-pounding, heart-racing, edge of your seat action movies of all-time.  Written by Eddy Frankel, Eddy Frankel, Yu An Su, Joshua Rothkopf, Trevor Johnston, Ashley Clark, Grady Hendrix, Tom Huddleston, Keith Uhlich, Dave Calhoun, Phil de Semlyen, Dave Calhoun and Matthew Singer Recommended: đŸ”„ The 100 best movies of all-timeđŸ’„Â The 18 greatest stunts in cinema (as picked by the greatest stunt people)đŸ„‹ The 25 best martial arts movies
Best TV and streaming shows in 2025 (so far)

Best TV and streaming shows in 2025 (so far)

June 2025 update: Hacks, The Rehearsal and Overcompensating are the latest shows to earn a spot on our ‘best of the year’ list this week. The former sees Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder’s co-dependent star-and-assistant double act delivering another ten episodes of pass-agg magnificence, while Nathan Fielder delivers more must-see TV with his second season of The Rehearsal. Overcompensating, meanwhile, is one of the year's surprise hits, a raunchy-but-warm college comedy featuring several breakout performances. We’ve all heard the phrase ‘TV’s golden age’ enough times over the past couple of decades to get wary of the hyperbole, but this year does seem to be shaping up to be a kind of mini golden age for the TV follow-up. Severance, Andor and The Last of Us all look like building on incredibly satisfying first runs with equally masterful second runs (even more masterful, in Severance’s case). The third season of The White Lotus has proved that, whether you love it or find it a touch too languorous, there’s no escaping Mike White’s transgressive privilege-in-paradise satire. Likewise for season 7 of Charlie Brooker’s dystopian-flavoured sci-fi Black Mirror. Watercooler viewing is everywhere at the moment,  and that’s not going to change anytime soon. Netflix has announced the finale of Squid Game this summer, along with the end of Stranger Things, a second run of Tim Burton’s Wednesday, and about a zillion other things. Here’s everything you need to see... so far.  RECOMMENDED
The 50 best Japanese movies of all time

The 50 best Japanese movies of all time

There’s more to Japanese movies than Kurosawa, Ozu and Miyazaki. That’s not to downplay their contributions to the country’s cinematic history – or cinema in general. All three are potential GOATs. It’s just that there’s much, much more where that exalted triumvirate came from.  Like the trailblazing silent works of Kenji Mizoguchi. Or the off-kilter pop-art crime thrillers of Seijun Suzuki. Or the bizarrely horrifying visions of Takashi Miike. On this list of the greatest Japanese movies of all time, you’ll find them all, alongside, of course, Kurosawa’s epics, Miyazaki’s soulful animations and Ozu’s powerful domestic dramas – oh, and Godzilla too. You’ll trace Japan’s unique filmmaking history, moving from the silent era to its post-war golden age to the 1960s New Wave to the anime explosion of the ’80s, all the way up to the current renaissance spearheaded by Hirokazu Kore-eda, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Mamoru Hosoda. It’s a lot to take in. But with expert commentary from Junko Yamazaki – assistant professor of Japanese Media Studies at Princeton, whose focuses include post-war Japanese film music and the jidaigeki (period drama) genre – this cinephile’s bible is as authoritative as it is exhaustive. Consider it your travel guide to one of the world’s most creative movie cultures. RECOMMENDED: đŸ‡°đŸ‡·Â The greatest Korean films of all timeđŸ‡«đŸ‡·Â The 100 best French movies ever madeđŸ‡ŻđŸ‡” The best anime movies of all time, ranked🌏 The 50 best foreign films of all-time
Best kids' movies from the '90s to binge ASAP

Best kids' movies from the '90s to binge ASAP

The ’90s were a great time to be a kid for many reasons, not the least being the kind of movies we could watch. It truly felt like Hollywood was catering directly to the youth, between the Disney renaissance, the rise of Pixar, coming-of-age comedies like The Sandlot, the golden age of Tim Burton and Robin Williams at his peak. Did young millennials spend a tad too much time in front of the VCR? Perhaps. But hey, look at us now! We’re all the better for it. And thanks to streaming, you can share the bounty of timeless entertainment with your own children – or just engage in some healthy nostalgia. In either case, here are the 20 movies you should fire up immediately. Recommended: đŸ‘Ș The best family movies of all-time🎼 The 50 best ‘90s moviesđŸ“ș The 35 best ‘90s TV shows🎾The 50 best ‘90s songs
The best sci-fi movies of all time, ranked

The best sci-fi movies of all time, ranked

Not that long ago, in a galaxy not terribly far away, science fiction was thought of as a niche interest – nerdery of the highest order. It’s hard to imagine now, given the geek insurrection of the last two decades. Now, nerds run the entertainment industry, and sci-fi isn’t just popular. It is, perhaps, the dominant genre in all of pop-culture.  The truth, however, is that the audience for science fiction was never so limited. The best sci-fi isn’t just about mythology and multiverses. Even if they’re taking place on other planets, truly great sci-fi speaks to the issues concerning the planet we actually live on – they just happen to be communicated through fantastical beasts and alien technology. Sci-fi’s reach is reflected in the wide-ranging panel of experts we conscripted to rank the greatest sci-fi films ever made. That includes Nobel Prize-winning geneticist Sir Paul Nurse to Oscar-winning film director Guillermo del Toro, to Game of Thrones creator George RR Martin, along with frequent Time Out writers. It’s also illustrated by the list itself, one that zigzags from Tatooine to Arrakis, Metropolis to Los Angeles circa, uh, 2019. Recommended: 🚀 Charlie Brooker’s ten favourite sci-fi moviesđŸ‘œ The best sci-fi shows streaming on Netflix🩄 The 50 best fantasy movies of all-time
The greatest movies of the 21st century so far

The greatest movies of the 21st century so far

Movies always find a way. It’s no secret the 21st century has so far been rough on cinema, between internet piracy, the pandemic, the strikes, the rise of streaming, etc. But while movies may no longer exist at the center of culture, over the first two decades of the new millennium, filmmakers have innovated at a more rapid clip than ever before: genres have been mixed, matched and completely exploded; more diverse stories are being told; blockbusters have reached unfathomable hugeness, and the smallest, strangest indies have won awards and reached vast audiences.  If cinema in the 21st century has been defined by tumult, it’s also exemplified the ability of those most dedicated to the medium to rise to the moment. These 100 movies represent the best of the last quarter-century so far. Written by David Fear, Joshua Rothkopf, Keith Uhlich, Stephen Garrett, Andrew Grant, Aaron Hillis, Tom Huddleston, Alim Kheraj, Tomris Laffly, Kevin B. Lee, Karina Longworth, Maitland McDonagh, Troy Patterson, Nicolas Rapold, Lisa Rosman, Nick Schager, Phil de Semlyen, Matthew Singer, Anna Smith, S. James Snyder.  RECOMMENDED: đŸ”„ The 100 best movies of all time🌏 The 50 best foreign films of all timeđŸ€˜ The 40 best cult movies of all timeđŸ“č The 66 best documentaries of all time
The best Disney movies of all-time

The best Disney movies of all-time

June 2025 update: In light of the recent success of the Lilo & Stitch live-action remake, with this update, we’ve re-evaluated the 2002 original – a fun, formula-busting tale of unlikely friendship that became a zoomer classic – and moved it up the list. Check below to see where it lands now.   On the one hand, Disney is entertainment’s evil empire, a corporate monolith seemingly hellbent on taking over the world by swallowing up every other, slightly smaller corporate monolith and valuable piece of intellectual property on the planet. On the other hand, who doesn’t hold some kind of Disney product close to their heart? The company is responsible for many of the greatest animated movies of all time, and some beloved live-action ones, too.  Hey, two things can be true at the same time. Here, we’re going to focus on the good stuff. Obviously, there’s a lot to consider, and whittling down the greatest of the greatest is daunting. But for every Disney classic that instantly makes you feel like a kid again, there are multiple direct-to-video sequels, needless remakes and cringeworthy failures. But these 50 selections, spanning from the Golden Age to the 1990s Renaissance to Pixar, are simply immortal. Recommended: ✍ The 100 best animated films of all-timeđŸ‘Ș The 50 best kids movies to watch as a familyđŸ€Ł The best family comedy movies
The best comedy movies of all time

The best comedy movies of all time

Comedy isn’t built to last. It’s the art form perhaps most dependent upon context, and what’s considered a laugh riot now might go over like a fart in church 100 years from now – only, y’know, less funny. That’s precisely what makes creating a truly great, lasting comedy one of the impressive feats in cinema. It’s also why putting together a list of the greatest comedy films of all time is so difficult. After all, movies themselves are only a little more than a century old. Can we even be sure anyone will understand why these flicks are so hilarious even another decade from now? That’s impossible to say. All we know is that, right now, they all have the ability to throw us into fits of convulsive laughter. And that’s good enough. With the help of comedians like Diane Morgan and Russell Howard, actors such as John Boyega and Jodie Whittaker and a small army of Time Out writers, we believe we’ve found the 100 finest, most durable and most broadly appreciable laughers in history. No matter your sense of humour – silly or sophisticated, light or dark, surreal or broad – you’ll find it represented here. Recommended: đŸ”„ The 100 best movies of all-timeđŸ€ŁÂ The best comedies of 2024đŸ„° The greatest romantic comedies of all time
Best Movies to Watch: Your Ultimate Guide to New Releases & Streaming

Best Movies to Watch: Your Ultimate Guide to New Releases & Streaming

Streaming is hard. That seems like a misnomer, given that practically every movie you could ever want to watch is now a few clicks away. But that’s the issue: knowing precisely what’s out there, and where to find it, can become overwhelming. Here, we’re doing the hard work for you, by cutting through the clutter and getting straight to the best movies available to watch right now – not just at home, but in theaters as well. We will update this guide regularly, so you can always find something to watch. Here’s the latest and greatest available right now. What to Watch Now In Cinemas and Theaters New on Netflix New on Hulu New on HBO and Max New on Peacock New on Paramount+ New on Disney+ New on Prime Video New on Apple TV+ Action Movies Streaming Now Comedy Movies Streaming Now Sci-Fi & Fantasy Movies Streaming Now Horror Movies Streaming Now Date Night Movies Streaming Now Family Movies Streaming Now

News (21)

‘Sinners’ is coming to streaming this week: here’s where to watch it

‘Sinners’ is coming to streaming this week: here’s where to watch it

This year, celebrate Independence Day with burgers, fireworks and Irish step-dancing vampires. Sinners, director Ryan Coogler’s ambitious, blues-infused horror period piece, is coming to streaming over the upcoming holiday weekend, dropping on HBO Max on Friday, July 4.  Starring Michael B Jordan in a dual role as twins in the 1930s Mississippi Delta doing battle with a crew of bloodsuckers, the film is one of the biggest hits of 2025, earning over $360 million at the box office. In a review, Time Out described the movie as ‘audacious enough to leave you simultaneously awed and overwhelmed.’ It’s currently sitting at No. 4 on our list of the best films of the year. Time Out also recently added the film to its list of the 100 greatest horror movies ever made. The movie proved popular enough after its initial April release that it returned to 70mm IMAX theaters in mid-May – which is, frankly, the best way to experience the full scope of Coogler’s vision. But if you haven’t seen it, or want to watch it again, a good TV will do. Just make sure to crank the volume, especially for that incredible, hallucinatory music sequence in the middle.
Here’s what’s new on Netflix in July 2025: 10 best movies and shows to watch

Here’s what’s new on Netflix in July 2025: 10 best movies and shows to watch

It’s July, and all your old friends are back on Netflix. It’s truly a month of returns, starting with Charlize Theron’s face-breaking guardian of the world in The Old Guard 2. Speaking of face-breaking, Adam Sandler’s yelling, punching, hard-swinging golf pro is also back at the end of the month in Happy Gilmore 2, the sequel to maybe his most beloved juvenile ’90s comedy. In between, there’s the second and final season of the gothic fantasy series The Sandman, a new sitcom from Big Bang Theory creator Chuck Lorre, and a raunchy romcom from Lena Dunham, returning to television with her first co-created series since the era-defining Girls. Here are the 10 titles we’re most excited about coming to Netflix in July, followed by a list of everything hitting the streamer this month. Recommended: đŸ’»Â The best Netflix original series to bingeđŸ“ș The best TV and streaming shows of 2025 (so far) The Old Guard 2 Charlize Theron re-dyes her hair and returns to action-hero mode in the sequel to the surprisingly successful 2020 comic-book adaptation about a gang of immortal mercenaries. This time out, Uma Thurman is the big bad – and she’s wielding a sword once again.  Premieres Jul 2 The Sandman season 2 The dark fantasy series inspired by the Neil Gaiman comic comes to a somewhat abrupt end. (The showrunners insist that was always the plan and not hastened by the recent sexual assault allegations against its creator.) The final season will drop in two chunks, both arriving this month.  
Who is the new James Bond currently favourite to be the next 007 after Daniel Craig?

Who is the new James Bond currently favourite to be the next 007 after Daniel Craig?

Gentlemen, rev your Aston Martins and start shaking those martinis, because a new James Bond is on the horizon. Menthol smoke has not yet started billowing out of MGM Studios – the traditional indication that the next 007 has been chosen – with Daniel Craig’s likely replacement still a mystery. What does this mean for the future of the iconic British spy series and its upcoming 26th instalment? Information is limited, but here’s what we know so far.  What does Amazon MGM Studios’ takeover mean for the next James Bond? After months of rumour and speculation, James Bond finally got a new boss in February 2025. Not M, but Amazon MGM Studios who sealed a deal with 007’s producers, Eon’s Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, to take creative control of the franchise.  Broccoli and Wilson will remain co-owners of James Bond but crucially, will step back from controlling the future direction or execution of the franchise. ‘With the conclusion of No Time to Die and Michael retiring from the films, I feel it is time to focus on my other projects,’ Broccoli said in a statement.So what does it all mean for 007? We’re probably a step closer to a release date for Bond 26 and the announcement of a new James Bond to star in it. Maybe a radical change of direction for the whole franchise, too, with immediate speculation that Amazon will look to spin their expensive new IP into the kind of shared universe storytelling that Disney pursued with Lucasfilm and Star Wars after its takeover. Is a
2025’s best horror movie has just been added to Time Out’s horror hall of fame

2025’s best horror movie has just been added to Time Out’s horror hall of fame

Once disregarded as low-grade schlock, horror has become one of Hollywood’s most bankable genres, as well as one of its most artistically fruitful. Even so, all-time classics remain hard to come by. On Time Out’s list of the 100 greatest horror movies ever made, only a select handful from the past decade have managed to claw their way in – emphasis on ‘claw’. Now, however, there’s a brand-new entry, and it’s only a few months old. But Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is simply undeniable. The Creed and Black Panther director has enough hits under his belt to prove himself as, arguably, the greatest blockbuster filmmaker of his generation. But breaking the box office with established IP is one thing. Doing so with a wholly original story is another, much less an original vampire blues musical period piece.   A visually stunning, thematically rich tale of two twin criminals (both played by Michael B Jordan) having their plans to go straight interrupted by undead bloodsuckers, the film has earned comparisons to the likes of 1996’s From Dusk Till Dawn, but in truth it’s a large-scale, big-idea epic unlike any other recent blockbuster. A sensation upon release, it’s proof there’s still money in original stories, and we’re betting it’s a movie audiences will talk about for years.    Sinners becomes the most recent addition to the Time Out horror canon since Coralie Fargeat’s 2024 body horror The Substance.  Head here to see where Sinners ranks among our other scariest movies of all-time. R
Get ready for 'Minecraft': one of 2025’s biggest movies is now streaming

Get ready for 'Minecraft': one of 2025’s biggest movies is now streaming

Parents, get the tarps, because it’s about to start raining popcorn all over your living room floor. A Minecraft Movie, the big-screen adaptation of the crazy-popular block-stacking video game, is streaming on HBO Max starting Friday, June 20. When the film hit theaters back in April, it flummoxed many observers by becoming the first true box-office sensation of 2025. It’s the highest-grossing US domestic release of the year, earning $423.8 million in the US and $953.5 million globally, good for second-place worldwide, behind China’s Ne Zha 2.  Not only that, the now-famous ‘Chicken Jockey’ scene sparked a TikTok trend, while the Jack Black-sung jingle ‘Steve’s Lava Chicken’ became the shortest song to ever chart in the Billboard Hot 100, clocking in at 34 seconds long. So what the heck is A Minecraft Movie about? Well, it stars Jason Momoa as a former video game champion, who, along with some kids from their tiny Idaho town, travel into the colourful world of the game and find themselves at war with an army of porcine Piglins – with an assist from a guy named Steve (Black), who’s been trapped in the cube-shaped world for years. Maybe that sounds headache-inducing for adults, but it’s really pretty fun. TimeOut put it this way: ‘[A]t heart what [director Jared Hess] has crafted is a goofy and genuinely quite loveable homage to the ‘80s ‘quest’ movie. Think Willow, think Labyrinth, think The NeverEnding Story, think Legend.’ In any case, it doesn’t really matter what you t
Where is ‘The White Lotus’ Filmed? All the hotel locations featured in the new hit third season

Where is ‘The White Lotus’ Filmed? All the hotel locations featured in the new hit third season

Mike White’s HBO sensation The White Lotus is back and not since Chevy Chase’s ’80s heyday have vacations gone wrong quite this spectacularly.Second 3 sees another party of unsuspecting but largely fairly deserving wealthies disembarking for a week or so of passive-aggression, skullduggery, and in the odd case, death. Friendships will fray, cobras will be unleashed and uptight westerners will unravel in the serene surrounds of a Thai resort. And we’ll all be there every step of the way. As with previous seasons the location is the story. This time White is taking us further east: to Thailand and a White Lotus resort where devices must be popped in a bag and the healing power of spiritual therapy allowed to do its thing. Season 1 took us to Hawaii, season 2 introduced the Sicilian White Lotus. Now it’s time for a tour of White Lotus Thailand and its ultra-luxe locations. Photograph: Fabio Lovino/HBO(Left to right) Christian Friedel, Carrie Coon, Michelle Monaghan, Leslie Bibb and Lek Patravadi in season 3 of ‘The White Lotus’ Where is White Lotus season 3 filmed? The third season takes its cast – Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, Carrie Coon, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Jason Isaacs, Cate Le Bon et al – to The White Lotus Resort in Thailand. According to Mike White, it was nearly set in another a couple of thousand miles to the east. ‘Originally, [Thailand] was kind of a stalking horse because I wanted to shoot in Japan,’ says the showrunner. ‘I've spent more time there and I jus
Hollywood aflame: How the L.A. fires sent the movie industry into a tailspin

Hollywood aflame: How the L.A. fires sent the movie industry into a tailspin

The devastating wildfires that have been sweeping through suburbs of Los Angeles since Tuesday continue to threaten life and livelihoods across the city—as well as inflicting enormous destruction of property.     In a city famous as a headquarters for film and TV production, the impact has been devastating, with celebrity enclaves like Malibu and Pacific Palisades hit especially hard by the blaze. Studios have been evacuated, and TV productions and award season events deferred. Here’s what it all means for the world of pop culture and moviemaking. 1. Are L.A.’s cinemas and studios threatened by the wildfires?  As the Sunset Fire broke out in the Hollywood Hills on Wednesday evening, the TCL Chinese Theatre—popularly known as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre—and the current home of the Oscars, the Dolby Theatre, were included in the evacuation zone. The blaze was largely extinguished overnight, however, and the evacuation warning lifted.   The L.A. premieres for Pamela Anderson’s award-nominated The Last Showgirl, Unstoppable, Wolf Man and the long-awaited second season of Apple TV+’s Severance were called off. Even a New York premiere—of Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz’s Netflix action-comedy Back in Action—was cancelled too. Meanwhile, popular studio attractions were also closed during the week, due to the proximity of the fires. Universal Studios closed its gates to the public on Wednesday, before reopening today. Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk will be
The 10 best election movies for a presidential film night

The 10 best election movies for a presidential film night

Well, here we are. America has arrived at the moment of truth – the most important presidential election in our lifetime. Sure, they seem to say that about every election, but in this case, it’s probably true, given that democracy itself is seemingly hanging in the balance. Whether or not the results actually end up confirming the country’s slide into totalitarianism, it’s a big deal regardless.   Need to prepare yourself? These movies should help put things in perspective. Not all of them are about presidential politics per se, but they are focused on the democratic process and the machinations and maneuverings that accompany it. We’d like to say they’ll calm your inevitably frazzled nerves, but the truth is, if you’re making a movie about an election in the United States, it’s probably lined with a good bit of cynicism. But as you’ll see, cynicism can be a good thing, especially if you’re hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. Recommended: đŸ”„ The 100 best movies of all-time😬 The best thriller movies of all-timeđŸ€” The 24 best movies based on true stories Photograph: Warner Bros. 1. All the President’s Men (1976) Ah, the days when committing crimes could actually bring down a presidency. Watergate was barely out of the headlines when Alan Pakula turned the most famous act of reportage in American political history into the greatest journalism procedural ever made. Embellishing little, Pakula sticks to the facts – and to the newsroom of The Washington Post – and
The best scary Halloween movies – and where to watch them

The best scary Halloween movies – and where to watch them

Horror, fittingly, is the unkillable genre. Just when you think it’s peaked – the exploitation-heavy ’70s, the slasher ’80s, the post-ironic ’90s – it gets a new leash of life and lurches back at you, claw hammer in hand. Like the transmogrifying alien in The Thing, there’s something in its bloodstream that keeps its scares relevant, keeps them reflecting our fears back at us in ways that are too damn frightening to resist. Halloween, however, requires a very specific kind of horror film: it’s a time when spooks and scares, ghosts and ghouls take precedence over subtext and smarts. With that, and the genre’s recent purple patch in mind, here’s a few films from the last year or two that will scare you witless this week and enhance that gothic vibe. (If you’ve got younger viewers in the house, give this more family-friendly list a go instead.) Our pick of the top Halloween movies for 2024 Photograph: A24 1. Heretic Hands up: who had Hugh Grant down as this year’s answer to the Jigsaw Killer? The erstwhile romcom softboi shows new, darker shades in a fiendishly clever horror-thriller with big ideas and even bigger shocks. It’s not Grant’s first villainous turn – hello, Daniel Cleaver and that cannibal in Cloud Atlas – but when his seemingly hospitable would-be convert lulls a pair of guileless Mormon missionaries into a hellish labyrinthine, it’s a ride you really don’t want to miss. In theaters now Photograph: Signature Entertainment 2. Terrifier 3 Who knew there was such
The best family-friendly Halloween movies to watch with kids for spooky-but-safe fun

The best family-friendly Halloween movies to watch with kids for spooky-but-safe fun

You’ve carved a pumpkin – looks great, top work – you’ve stocked up on candy and decked out the front porch like it’s the set of a Tim Burton movie. But there may be one variable still lingering over your Halloween: what to watch with the little ones? What’s needed is something that offers kids a frisson of spookiness and some gentle scares, but nothing that’s going to freak them out and require you to spend three hours sitting by their bedside reassuring them that Pazuzu isn’t real. Oh, and something that’s genuinely fun for grown-ups too. Here’s our pick of ten Halloween faves that hit that ghoulish sweet spot. (Oh, and grown-ups should head for this more R-rated list.) The top Halloween movies for kids Photograph: Disney 1. Coco (Disney+) Give your Halloween a celebratory vibe with an effervescent Pixar animation that sends its young musical hero into the afterlife for a race-against-the-clock adventure featuring skeletons as far as the eyeball can see. No culture does death with as much vibrancy and joy as Mexico, and this riff on the Day of the Dead celebrations is a suitably kaleidoscopic treatment of the great beyond. The actual Día de Muerto falls on Saturday, November 2, so what better time to cue it up? Photograph: Disney+Frankenweenie 2. Frankenweenie (Disney+) Nothing’s worse than the loss of a beloved family pet. Enter Tim Burton’s stop motion animation to raise the spooky possibility of reincarnating the little guy with the help of a massive electrical cha
What’s leaving Netflix in November 2024: last chance to stream these movies and shows

What’s leaving Netflix in November 2024: last chance to stream these movies and shows

On Netflix, movies and TV shows come and go almost daily. Sometimes, you may not even know something is there to stream before it’s too late. In other cases, you might be halfway through a series, or planning to watch a movie at the end of the week, and then poof: gone. Don’t get caught unaware. Below, you’ll find a full list of everything leaving Netflix in November 2024, with our six picks for the flicks you must watch before they cycle off, including Tom Hanks as a grumpy old man, Tom Cruise as a live-action video game character, Ryan Gosling as a real American hero, and Keanu Reeves as Johnny Utah. Get watching, and live without regret. Recommended: 🎬 The 35 best movies on Netflix right now🇳 The 44 best Netflix original series to binge🩚 The 20 best movies to watch on Peacock right nowđŸŽ„ The 25 best movies on HBO and Max right now Photograph: Dennis Mong/Sony Pictures A Man Called Otto Tom Hanks plays against type as a gravelly-voiced old grouch who just wants to be left alone long enough to hang himself and join his wife in the afterlife. Of course, his meddling neighbours won’t allow that to happen, and the movie becomes just the sort of hard-to-resist heartstring-tugger you expect to see Tom Hanks in.  Leaves Nov 5   Photograph: Warner Bros."Edge of Tomorrow" Edge of Tomorrow ‘Starship Troopers meets Groundhog Day’ is the easiest pitch for this entertaining sci-fi blockbuster. Tom Cruise is a post-apocalyptic bureaucrat conscripted to fight against the alien hord
The best Olympic movies to get you in the Olympic spirit

The best Olympic movies to get you in the Olympic spirit

Sports are the pinnacle of human drama, and the Olympics are the peak of sporting events. Logically, then, movies about the Olympics are some of the most stirring, thrilling and plainly inspirational you’ll find. We’re not saying they’re the best sports movies necessarily – we’ve got a whole other list for that – but when it comes to whipping viewers into a patriotic froth, the best films about the global games do it better than almost anything else. Of course, there is a dark side to the Olympics, both socially and historically, as reflected in top-shelf movies like Munich and Foxcatcher. But for the sake of this list, and stoking excitement for the upcoming Paris games, we’re sticking with the thrilling, the soul-stirring and the inspirational movies to tackle the Olympics – in both their summer and snowier guises. Here are nine of our favourites. Recommended: ⚟ The 50 best sports movies of all-timeđŸ„Š The 10 best boxing movies of all-timeđŸ“č The 66 best documentaries of all-time ZĂĄtopek (2021) Every country has its Olympics heroes. In the Czech Republic it’s Emil ZĂĄtopek, a long-distance runner who defied the odds to win triple gold at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. As charted in this stirring and colourful biopic, ZĂĄtopek (VĂĄclav NeuĆŸil) had the kind of mischievous eccentricity and drive you probably need to run endlessly in giant loops – and a romantic spirit that manifests in a touching romance with Dana, a champion javelin thrower. Well worth, ahem, tracking do